Изъяснение псалма 26-го.

"A Psalm to David before the Anointing." I did not find this inscription in the Exaplaques, but it is in some lists. Others took this as a reason to reject all the inscriptions as untrue. For they say: how could David write prophetic psalms when he was not yet anointed and had not received the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, and, moreover, he was still young, tending sheep, and not ruling the kingdom, and had not yet been persecuted by anyone? But they should have known that, according to the history of the kingdoms, David was anointed twice, and even three times: for the first time in Bethlehem by the Prophet Samuel; the second time in Hebron by the tribe of Judah after the death of Saul, and the third time by all the tribes after the death of Mephibosheth. About the second anointing it is said this way: “And David asked the Lord, saying: Shall I go into one from the cities of Judah? and the Lord said to him: Come down. And David said: Who am I below? and he said: to Hebron" (2 Samuel 2:1). Then the chronicler, having told how he ascended, added: “And men came from Judea, and anointed David there to reign over the house of Judah” (2 Sam. 2:4). The third anointing is again spoken of as follows: “And all the tribes of Israel came to David to Hebron” (2 Sam. 5:1), and in a few words: “And King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord, and anointed David to be king over all Israel” (2 Sam. 5:3). Therefore, it is clear that this psalm was spoken before David accepted the second appointment as king and entered into management of affairs. So he spoke these words, persecuted by Saul, when he came to the priest Abimelech, and having prayed in the tabernacle of God, receiving the blessing of the holy bread, he escaped from the hands of the enemy. This is what he speaks about in this psalm: “For I hid me in my village in the day of my evils” (5). Then Doik the Edomite, who was shepherding the royal Muscovites there, informed Saul about David’s flight; which is why the Prophet says in the psalm: “For I have risen up as a witness of unrighteousness” (12). But this detailed explanation will show this more clearly. Ps.27:1. The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life: whom shall I fear? “The Lord is my enlightenment and my Savior, whom will I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life, from whom shall I fear?” Enlightened by You, says the Prophet, and illuminated by Your intelligent light, I disdain all enemies in the aggregate. Ps.26:2. If evildoers, my opponents and my enemies come against me to devour my flesh, then they themselves will stumble and fall. “Those who are angry will always approach me and destroy my flesh; those who insult me ​​and defeat me will become exhausted and fall.” I was not deceived, he says, in my hope, placing my trust in Your help. For even though those who pursued Me and tried to make food out of me, having perceived Me like wild beasts, did not harm me, they themselves suffered final destruction. And that this happened more than once, history shows. For once or twice the one caught by Saul escaped the nets, or better yet, he could put the persecutor himself to death if he only wanted to. But he showed his wisdom, and the persecutor from foreigners was punished for his wickedness. And therefore, what is said in the psalm is a prediction of the future. Ps.27:3. If a regiment takes up arms against me, my heart will not fear; if war arises against me, then I will hope. “Even if a regiment rises up against me, my heart will not fear; even if it rises up to fight me, I will trust in Him.” After such an experience of God's help, if numerous enemies try to attack me twice or thrice, armed with this hope, I will not be afraid of troubles. Ps.26:4. I asked one thing from the Lord, this only I seek, that I might abide in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to contemplate the beauty of the Lord and to visit His [holy] church. Ps.27:5. For He would have hidden me in His tabernacle in the day of trouble, He would have hidden me in the secret place of His habitation, He would have lifted me up on the rock. “I have asked one thing of the Lord, this I will require: that I may live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may behold the beauty of the Lord, and that I may visit His holy church.” “For you hid me in your village in the day of my evils; you covered me in the secret of your village; you lifted me up on a rock.” And I, says the Prophet, having experienced such a benefit, ask my Benefactor not for wealth and power, not for kingdom and glory, but to constantly remain in the divine church, contemplate the divine beauty there and observe everything that is done according to the law. For by experience I learned the benefit, having already acquired salvation there and having escaped from the hands of persecutors. This is what the great David asked for, and this he received from the great-gifted God, because he moved the divine ark, erected another, more wonderful tabernacle, and established different choirs of singers. And anyone can learn this in more detail from the book of Chronicles. It is said: “I asked one thing from the Lord” - in the meaning that I asked for one grace: this is how this should be understood. Ps.27:6. Then my head would be lifted above the enemies surrounding me; and I would offer sacrifices of praise in His tabernacle, and begin to sing and make melody before the Lord. “And now, behold, you have lifted up my head against my enemies: the waste and devouring in His village is a sacrifice of praise and exclamation.” The times have changed here; Akila also allowed us to see this; because instead of the words: “lift up my head,” he put: “my head will be lifted up.” Therefore, these words have the meaning that he who is now surrounded by enemies will reign and overcome those who are hostile to him, and he will surround them, but he will offer to God in the tabernacle not the sacrifices prescribed by the law, but the sacrifice of praise, which is offered day and night in all the churches throughout the universe through those who believe in God. Some lists read: “sacrifice of praise and exclamation”; but the meaning remains the same; because “exclamation” is a military cry of the most courageous to inspire the timid, and such is hymn: it is the cry of those who are pleased and hymn to God. It is said: “Is anyone happy in you? let him sing" (James 5:13). “I will sing and make praise to the Lord.” And from this it is clear that in what was said above the tense has changed; because the Prophet gives only a promise to sing and offer hymns. Ps.26:7. Hear, O Lord, my voice with which I cry, have mercy on me and listen to me. “Hear, O Lord, my voice in which I cried, have mercy on me and hear me.” He asks for mercy, not unjust mercy, but very fair mercy. Ps.27:8. My heart speaks from You: “Seek My face”; and I will seek Your face, O Lord. “My heart says to you: I will seek the Lord.” I did not utter words devoid of truth, but I did the deed with my heart in agreement with the words. “I seek my face for You.” It is not enough what has already been done, but I will do this in the future. “I will seek Your face, O Lord.” Therefore, do not deny me what I want, and do not deprive me of what I want. Ps.26:9. Hide not Your face from me; do not reject Your servant in anger. You were my helper; do not reject me and do not forsake me, O God, my Savior! “Do not turn Your face away from Me, and do not turn away in anger from Your servant.” The Prophet said this, borrowing a figure of speech from those who are angry, turn away from those approaching them and try to evade another way. “Be my helper, do not reject me and do not forsake me, O God, my Savior.” The words: “do not reject (μὴ ἀποσκορακ ί σ ῃ ς) me” were replaced by other translators with the words: “do not reject me.” The Seventy composed this word, having learned from outsiders, because the expression: “to the ravens!” among the ancients it was some kind of curse based on some fable. Ps.26:10. For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will receive me. “For my father and mother abandoned me, but the Lord will take me in”: because, persecuted by Saul, I was forced to live away from my parents. But instead of all this, You, Lord, prevail for me. Ps.26:11. Teach me, O Lord, Your way and guide me on the path of righteousness, for the sake of my enemies. Ps.26:12. Do not hand me over to the mercy of my enemies, for false witnesses have risen up against me and breathe malice. “Ordain me, O Lord, in Thy way, and guide me on the right path.” Instead of the words: “lay down laws,” Aquila and Theodotion used: “enlighten,” and Symmachus: “show me your path.” since, he says, I am forced to live away from my fellow tribesmen, then be my Lawgiver and guide, showing me the path leading to You. “Do not betray me into the souls of those who are suffering.” These sayings are the product of a humble way of thinking. For they say: although I am unworthy of salvation, I was nevertheless expelled unjustly, without causing the slightest offense to those who were hostile to me. Therefore, do not betray the offended one to those who offended me. “For I have stood up as a witness to unrighteousness, and lied untruthfully to myself.” Aquila expressed this more clearly: “False witnesses stood against me, and the truth was revealed.” They, he says, used slander against me, but, with Your help, I did not suffer any harm from this, but this harm turned on the offenders themselves, and the arrows they threw at me also turned on them. And this is borrowed from the general usage of words, because it is our custom to say about those who are plotting but not doing harm: he harmed himself, and not me. So blessed David said: “You lie untruthfully to yourself.” Ps.26:13. But I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. And I “believe to see the good of the Lord in the lands of the living,” because I will not only overcome my enemies in this life, but I will also enjoy the expected benefits. Then the Prophet offers an admonition to all people. Ps.26:14. Trust in the Lord, be of good courage, and let your heart be strengthened, and trust in the Lord. "Be patient with the Lord." How is this possible? “Be of good courage, and let your heart be strong, and be patient with the Lord.” The mind, armed with courage and overcoming the opposing sufferings, says the Prophet, is strengthened, overcomes and awaits the Divine promises, of which one becomes an heir with the assistance of the body. The Prophet calls the land of the living the expected life, as taken away from death, free from corruption and sorrow. You might be interested in: